Drinking Wyoming: Guy Fieri Loves Food At The Alibi, But Cocktails Are Great Too

Cowboy State Daily’s 'Drinking Wyoming' is presented by Pine Bluffs Distilling

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always have to stay in Vegas. And Alibi Wood Fire Pizzaria is living proof.

The pizza joint in Laramie made a national name for pizza and sandwiches a couple of years ago when Guy Fieri came to town. The Mayor of Flavortown liked the food at Alibi so much, he featured the restaurant on his shows not once, but twice.

It’s easy to see why the pizza and the sandwiches have so much buzz. All fresh ingredients, locally sourced when possible, piled on top of a homemade sourdough pizza crust. It’s to die for.

But one thing that’s definitely been underplayed since Fieri’s visit to this popular Laramie hangout are its craft cocktails.

And all of those craft cocktails came straight from Vegas.

Right after buying the Alibi Bar and Package Store in 1990, one of the first things owners Ethan and Kerri Smith did was up their cocktail game with a trip to an annual bar and nightclub convention, held every year in Las Vegas.

“We did a couple of workshops and took some classes,” Kerri told Cowboy State Daily. “And we heard a lot of people talk about what makes a really great cocktail.”

Keeping Up With Drinking Trends

One thing about the bar scene these days, Kerri said, is that lots of people have changed their drinking habits from the days of old. While it’s never been cool to drink to excess or drive under the influence, she sees that people are much more conscientious about that these days.

That, in turn, makes each individual cocktail a little more precious. If a person is only going to have one drink, well, they want that drink to be something special.

And this is where Alibi’s bar menu really shines with its amazing array of craft cocktails. There’s not just a dozen or so cocktails to choose from. There are so many, it could take you a while to decide.

There are about a dozen hot cocktails, and at least a dozen or so interesting shots with names like Oatmeal Cookie, Duck Farts and Slippery Nipple.

There are also multiple cocktails for each liquor — whiskey, vodka, gin and tequila.

But what really takes the craft cocktails here over the top is the religious use of fresh ingredients.

“We came back from Vegas with the idea that we wanted to do everything fresh,” Kerri said. “So fresh-squeezed lemons, limes, oranges, adding berries to the cocktails, and finding some nice alcohols to put in them, instead of just your typical, cheaper alcohols.”

The bar also takes the time to make some of its own fresh, simple syrups, using things like lavender honey and agave syrup. That allows the bartenders to adjust the sweetness of each drink, particularly important given that the sweetness of fresh ingredients can be a big variable.

Try The Pure Joy

Kerri’s favorite cocktail is one called Pure Joy. It’s Deep Eddy lemon vodka with fresh-squeezed lemon, muddled with fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

It looks like a pink rainbow in a glass, with colorful bits of berries floating around like little dark clouds. It tastes smooth, like a fresh southern lemonade made for sipping on a summer’s eve.

It’s a nice one to have sitting by one of the fire pits, Kerri said.

Speaking of the fire pits outside in the backyard. It was actually the down-sizing trend for drinks that ultimately inspired the addition of Alibi’s fabulous pizza and sandwich scene.

“We were just sitting around trying to brainstorm what could keep us both busy in terms of us being at the Alibi, as well as bringing in extra revenue,” Kerri said. “Alcohol trends have just changed to where, your ‘drown nights’ and DUIs are just so much less prevalent. Which is good. But it also means that bar life isn’t quite what it used to be.”

Drown nights refer to a special event where customers can purchase an unlimited amount of beer for a fixed price or at a discount. Some states have passed laws prohibiting such events.

After doing a bit of homework, the Smiths decided not to go with fried, bar food. Instead, they bought a mobile, wood-fired pizza oven to set up in Alibi’s backyard, a grassy area with fire pits and tables. That had a nice, summer backyard party vibe. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?

No Immediate Gratification

There was a bit of a learning curve, figuring out how to make wood-fired pizza.

“For probably the first year, year and a half, it was just my husband and I cooking, you know, lunch and dinner,” Kerri said. “Then we started to get a little more popular. People started finding out about us. Then we had to hire staff, and we cooked outside pretty much rain, shine, snow, wind, for a long time.”

Eventually, Alibi had a good enough customer base and track record to get a loan to remodel their business. They extended the kitchen space, so they could put a brand-new wood oven inside. They also added baking ovens for breads and pastries.

They still have that old mobile wood-fired oven, though, and they still use it to cater weddings and parties.

“What makes Alibi special I think is the combination of everything that we offer, from the craft cocktails to the wood-fired pizzeria to the custom sandwiches,” Smith said. “And the bakery which provides all the bread and dough for the restaurant, and then we have pastries and desserts. You know you can stop in, get a coffee, and end your night with a craft cocktail by a fire pit.”

Sounds like heaven. Meet you at the Alibi?

Contact Renee Jean at renee@cowboystatedaily.com

Renée Jean can be reached at renee@cowboystatedaily.com.